Thermostat-operated circuit.



W. A. RAMSEUR.

THERMOSTAT OPERATED CIRCUIT.

APPLICATION HLED MAR. 9. 19:6.

1,226,696. Patented May 22, 1917.

3141x211 fo'c wi/fwaoow (1H0: us I WELLINGTON A. RAMSEUR, F GAINESVILLE,GEORGIA- THERMOSTAT-OPEBATED CIRCUIT;

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented May 22, 1917.

Application filed March 9, 1916. Serial No. 83,148.

To (ZZZ whom it may concern:

SEUR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Gainesville, in thecounty of Hall and State of Georgia, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Thermostat-Operated Circuits, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to apparatus adapt ed to be automatically actuatedupon the rise and fall of the temperature beyond a predetermined degree,for operating a movable element, particularly a valve for controllingthe supplyof water to. a house or dwelling, whereby when the temperaturereaches or approaches the freezing point of water, such water will beout OK from the supply pipe and the same allowed to drain, while theapparatus may be advantageously employed for many other purposes, suchas to actuate sprinkler systemsand fire-extinguishing apparatus ofdifferent characters.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification,

The figure is a diagrammatic view of ap paratus embodying the invention.

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown apreferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 5 designates a sourceof current included in a thermostat local circuit. Connected with onepole of the source of current is a wire 6,'connected with a binding post7. Connected with the binding post 7 is a wire 8, having one end of thewinding of electro-magnet 9 connected therewith. The other end of suchwinding is connected with a wire 10, connected with a binding post 11.Secured to the binding post 11 is a wire 12, connected with the oppositepole of the source of current 5. Connected in the wire 12 is athermostat 13 preferably a thermometer, while any other type ofthermostat may be employed. T

e wire 12 is cut and the ends thereof project in spaced relation intothe tube of the thermometer and are adapted to be electrically connectedupon the rise of the mercury to a predetermined degree, upon thecorresponding rise in the temperature. For the purpose of the presentinvention a thermostat is preferably constructed whereby the circuitremains closed through the wire 12 until the temperature approaches orreaches the freezing point of water, it being desired that the circuitthrough the wire 12 is opened a little before the freezing point isreached. In order that the thermostat local circuit may be closed whendesired, while the same isopen, due to the action of the thermostat, Iconnect wire 14 with the wire 12, across the thermostat and this wire 14may lead to any suitable place in the dwelling. Anormally open pushbutton switch 15 is connected in the wire 14 and when the same isclosed, the thermo stat local circuit will be closed, notwithstandingthe fact that the same may be opened at the thermostat.

The numeral 16 designates a series wound motor, shown diagrammatically,the same embodying the usual commutator 17, en-' gaged by commutatorbrushes 18 and 19..

Current is supplied to the fields 20 of the motor from a source ofcurrent 21, to the positive pole of which is connected a wire 22,secured at the opposite end to a binding post 23. Connected with thebinding post 23 is a wire 24, connected with a binding post 25, whichconnects with the field of the motor 16. Connected with the negativepole of the source of current 21 is a wire 26, secured at one end to a.binding 0st 27. Extending from the binding post 2 is a wire 28,connectedwith a double acting contact 29, carried by and insulated from a lever30. The lever 30 is pivoted 'at 31, and is provided with two laterallyextending arms 32 and 33. Attached to the arm 32 is a coil spring 34',adapted to normally hold the lever 30 by lever 30 and insulatedtherefrom and has arranged adjacent and below it a stationary contact36. A wire 35 electrically connects the double actin contact 35 with abinding post 36. Exten ing from the binding post 36 is a wire 37,connected with a binding post 38, which has electrical connection withthe field 20 0f the motor 16, as shown.

When the thermostat circuit is closed as is normally the case and asshown in the dlagram, the double acting contacts 29 and 35 engage thecontacts 34 and 36 respectively. Arranged adjacent and above the doubleacting contacts 29 and 35 are coacting stationary contacts 37 and 38,with which the double acting contacts respectively engage when thethermostat c1rcu1t is broken. Connected with the contact 34:: is a wire39, having its opposite end connected to a circuit breaker or switch4:0. The circuit breaker 40 comprises upper and lower insulated contactelements 4:1 and 42,

the wire 39 being connected with the upper contact element 41, while thelower contact element a2 is normally depressed by a pin 43, carried by atoothed quadrant a l, as shown. The quadrant at is rigidly connectedwith a shaft 45, which is adapted to turn a valve or operate othersuitable means for cutting the water on or oil upon movement of thesegment.

Means for rotating the segment comprises a shaft 46, geared to orhavingdirect connection with the armature shaft of the motor 16. Uponthe end of the shaft 46, adjacent the toothed segment is mounted a worm1 7, which engages the segment, as shown, for rotation of the same. Uponthe opposite side of the segment from the pin 43 is mounted a similarpin 48 for engaging and depressing a lower contact member a9 of acircuit breaker or switch 50, which is identical. withthe circuitbreaker a0, and further comprises an upper contact member 51, insulatedfrom the lower contact member.

The contact 36 has electrical connection with the contact 37 by a wire52. Connected with the contact 37 is a wire 53, having its opposite endconnected with a binding post 54, from which electrical connection ismade with the commutator brush 19. A wir 55 connects the contact 38 withthe lower contact element d9 of the circuit breaker 50. As shown in the.drawing, when the Water is on, the upper and lower contact elements ofthe circuit breaker engage, thus furnishing the wire electricalconnection with a wire 56, one end of which is connected to the uppercontact element 51, while its other end is connected to a wire 57. Thewire 57 connects at one end with binding post 53, from whence electricalconnection is had with the commutator brush 13, while the other end ofwire 57 connects with the lower contact element 42 of the circuitbreaker 40,

The operation of the apparatus is as follows:

The conditions shown in the drawing are 1 those when the temperature isabove freezing and the water turned on. The mercury is above 32 andconsequently the thermostat circuit is closed and the electro-magnet 9energized. The "electro-magnet has attracted the arm 33, pulling thelever 30 down and causing the double acting contacts 29 and 35 to engagethe contacts 34 and 36 respectively. This being the case, a circuit isclosed and current flows from the positive pole of the source of current21, to binding post .23, thence to binding post meaeee 25, through thefields of the motor to bindin post 38, binding post 36, double actingcontact 35, contact 36, wire 52, contact 37,

wire 53, binding post 54;, brush 19, through the motor armature to brush18, binding post 58, wire 57, contact breaker 50, wire 55 to contact 38,where the circuit is broken. it is obvious that in this condition themotor ceases to turn, the quadrant remains stationary, and the water isturned on.

With the water on and the circuit as above, suppose the temperaturefalls below freezing point. The thermostat circuit is broken by themercury falling below the sealed ends of the wire 63 and theelectromagnet 9 is demagnetized, allowing the coil spring 3% to pulllever 30 upwardly, causing the double acting contacts 29 and 35 toengage contacts 37 and 38 respectively.

A circuit is now closed and current flows in this closed circuit fromthe positive pole of the source of current 21, wire 22, binding post23,wire 2%, binding post 25, through the fields of motor to binding post38, wire 37, binding post 36, wire 35, double acting contact 35, contact38, wire 55, contact breaker 50, wire 57, binding post 58, commutatorbrush 18, through armature 17 to commutator brush 19, binding post 54L,wire 53, contact 37, double acting contact 29, wire 28, binding post 27,wire 26, and back to source of current 21. It will be noted that in thiscircuit the current enters the motor from the opposite side to thattraced in the previous circuit. It is thus seen that the motor isreversed and the shaft 46 rotated, which through worm 47, rotates thetoothed segment 44 in a clockwise direction, cutting off the water bymeans of the turning of the shaft 45. When the segment has moved apredetermined distance the pin 48 engages and depresses lower contactelement d9 of contact breaker 50, thus breaking the circuit at thispoint, whereupon the apparatus remains at rest with the water cut off.

Given the conditions above, with the mercury below the sealed ends ofwire 12 and the water cut oil, suppose a rise of temperature. Themercury then closes the ther mostat circuit, energizing theelectro-magnet 9 which attracts arm 33 and causes double acting contacts29 and 35 to engage contacts 3t and 36 respectively. The circuit will beclosed and current will flow in this circuit, from the positive side ofsource of current 21, through wire 22, binding post 23, wire 24, binding0st 25, fields 20, binding post 38, wire 37 binding post 36, wire 35,double acting contact 35, contact 36, wire 52, contact 37, wire 53,binding post 5i, commutator brush l9, brush 18, binding post 58, wire57, circuit breaker 40, (circuit breaker 550 being open), wire 39,contact 34, double acting contact 29, wire 28, binding post 27, wirethence back to the opposite. pole of 1 the source of current 21. It willbe noted that the motor is reversed and also that the positive wire fromsource of current 21, leads to binding post during all operations, thuskeeping the direction of the current always the same in the fields,while the reversal of the motor current always occurs in the armature.The operation of the motor turns the quadrant 44 to the left, whichturns the shaft 45 to turn on the supply of water. When the quadrant llhas reached the end of this movement, the pin &8 engages the contact 42and-opens the circuit at this point, whereby the operation of the motorceases.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and thatvarious changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may beresorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or thescope of the subjoined claim.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

In apparatus of the character described, a source of current, a movablemember, a pair of double actuating contacts carried by the ranged uponone side of the double actuating contacts and adapted to be engagedthereby, wires connecting the pair of stationary contacts with theopposite poles of the motor for supplying the current therethrough inopposite directions, a second pair of stationary contacts arranged uponthe other side of the double acting contacts to engage therewith, meanselectrically connecting one contact of the second pair with one contact'of the first pair, a wire connected with the other contact of the.second pair and connected with one of the wires which isconnected withthe motor-{switches connected in the last two named wires, a memberdriven by the motor to actuate the switches, andmeans to move thememberin opposite directions.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' WELLINGTON A. RAMSEUR. Witnesses:

B. F. WHELOHEL, W. L. ROBINSON.

